Bigger venue means bigger concerts for Salted Vines

Coastal Point • Samantha Danshes: A crowd gathers for a concert at Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery near Frankford.Crowds have been flocking to watch local bands perform at the Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery’s new, larger location near Frankford.

Since the winery — formerly called Fenwick Wine Cellars — moved to the Clarksville area in November of 2016, Manager Katie Duke said, they now have more room to expand their live performances. In their previous location, she said, the venue was only fitting for small acoustic sessions, but now, they have the room to host larger concerts by full bands.

“We are happy in our new space that we can accommodate that now,” Duke said.

Ever since the venue started hosting bands, the audience turnout has been very good, Duke added. She said that the average amount of people coming to each concert is between 160 to 200 people. The largest crowd was during the recent Love Seed Mama Jump concert, which drew around 300 people. Duke said that, during that show, they actually had to turn away a significant amount of people at the door, because they felt like they were exceeding the venue’s capacity.

“We are new to this. We wanted to make sure we had enough staff,” Duke said.

Entry fees for the events are $10, but Duke said people interested in purchasing a ticket will only be ensured that price if they get the early-bird tickets online. Tickets purchased at the door can potentially be subject to an up-charge and even the possibility of getting turned away.

The genres of bands that have performed at Salted Vines have ranged from reggae to alternative to country. Duke said the idea of having such a wide array of genres was to attract all music lovers to the concerts. She said all of the concerts are all family-friendly and that many families have brought along their children.

Along with the musical performances taking place at Salted Vines, the farm-winery sells its wines during the concerts. And Duke said that, to complement the wine, the winery has also brought in local food trucks, so that audience members have something to eat — especially after consuming alcoholic beverages. She added that the winery’s signature drink is the wine-slushie, which has proven to be a crowd favorite.

In addition to their concert series, Salted Vines has collaborated with the Southern Delaware Jeep Club to create an event that combines a live musical performance and a chance for Jeep owners to enjoy an off-road obstacle course specifically made for their all-terrain vehicles.

The event, called “Crushin’ Summer,” will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23, at Salted Vines, as an all-day event starting at 8 a.m., which is when registration will begin.

Jeep owners can either choose to participate for one day or buy a pass for both. A single Saturday pass will cost $30 per Jeep, and a single Sunday pass will cost $25 per Jeep. Purchasing a pass for two days would be $50 per Jeep.

The Dover-based band Chain Brake will be performing on Saturday from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Attendees at this weekend’s event will also get the opportunity to purchase food from either the Hocker’s BBQ food truck or Rosenfeld’s Jewish Delicatessen’s food truck. Wine from the winery will also be available for tasting and purchase. And, since this will be a family event, children will also have the opportunity to partake in juice tasting.

Future concerts at the venue will include “Reggae Vibes & Vines,” featuring the band Inna Sense, which will take place on Aug. 5; “Dueling in the Vines,” with the band Dueling Pianos on Aug. 18; and “All Day Wine Jam,” which will include musical performances by Rick Artz, Bryan Russo and Tres Hombres.

The concert series at the Salted Vines Winery is meant to cater to all music tastes and be a place where families and friends can come together, Duke said.

For more information about upcoming events and ticket sales, visit Salted Vines Winery’s website at www.fenwickwinecellars.com. The winery is located between Omar Road and Burbage Road, west of Powell Farm Road.